Rucci's Roost

Edistizer

2012-02-06T09:20:00.001-05:00

A little Edistizer this weekend.....

CHA-YECK

2012-02-01T16:42:00.001-05:00

Make It Happen #2

CHA-YECK

Most Fun Mom Ever

2012-01-23T15:46:00.001-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not a fan of this new-age, fangle-dangled way of keeping in touch called Facebook. I am opposed to the way people in this world rely on technology to keep in touch with one another. However, there are moments when I find myself taking a little itsy bitsy peek into the Facebook world to see how everybody is doing. I also keep this blog updated for the most part but that is mostly for Big and Lil' so that they can take a little looksy back when they get older and for the Grandma's in their lives that like to be in the know.

With all that said, (Praise God and Amen) there's this thing called Pinterest. Oh lawdy have mercy. Pinterest. Pinterest is a place where a casserole meets the most perfect lip color. Paradise meets sculpture and creative ideas run into ab workouts. It's like Martha Stewart on acid or Field and Stream on meth. It just goes on and on and on.

Pinterest inspired me and Lil' this weekend and this is what we made.

If I'm being perfectly honest, after a lovely Pinot Noir back in December, Pinterest also inspired our Elf to have a romantic rendevouz with the Tooth Fairy one night.

The two of them got a little carried away and really made a mess of things. The Tooth Fairy even left a little note for Big that read in teensy weensy handwriting "I had a lovely time with Fisbee. He was quite the gentleman. Thank you for arranging such a magical evening." Fisbee had lipstick all over his face the next day. I think that girl is bad news.

So what I'm trying to say is that as long as we inspire each other and push one another to new heights, I guess this technology stuff is ok with me. Especially if it's making me look like the most fun Mom ever.

Same Girl

2012-01-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Daddy said that Lil' sang a song all the way from our house to Downtown without stopping. The same song. The whole way. He asked me if I thought that was normal. I told him I've seen that kind of thing before. Different name but same girl....

She Is

2012-01-19T11:15:00.000-05:00

When I was putting my Big to bed last night he looked at me square in the face and said, "Mama, I think you are the most beautiful Mama in the whole world." I said, "Wow, Big. You have no idea how sweet that is but I hope you tell your wife that everyday when you get older." He said, "Ok I will. Even when she doesn't look that pretty like you do sometimes I will still tell her that she is."

Hiney Licker

2012-01-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

This occurred yesterday at car pool....

Lil: Mama, you wanna hold my puppy? He's sooo sweet.

Me: Sure, Lil. Oh he is a sweet one.

Lil: You can kiss him on his mouthez. He doesn't lick his hiney or anything. His hiney doesn't even itch him.

Me: Oh, well then for sure I want to kiss him. You know I don't like to kiss Hiney Lickers.

Make It Happen

2012-01-09T16:11:00.000-05:00

This year...

I'm Gonna Make It Happen.

- Dinner on the porch with old friends.
- Find the perfect kitty.
- Let the woods and the mountains inspire us.
- Take Big shrimping at night.
- Trace leaves and make stuff.
- Explore.
- Look at the moon.
- Wrap up, sit back and soak em up.
- Evaluate and decide.
- Plan Paris.
- Design my barn.
- Make the old new again.

2012-01-06T09:08:00.004-05:00

Just wanna make sure I have this somewhere...

Easy Braisey Covered Chicken
*Use Mom's Red Pot

Chicken Breasts - Skin, on - Bone-in

Salt and Pepper and sear on both sides quickly. Add chicken broth about 1/2 way - don't cover it all the way.

Slice 1 lemon and lay slices all over it.

Cover it tight and bake at 350 for about 1 1/2 hr.

Put in frig overnight.

Put back in the oven for 30-45 min next day at 350 again.

Turn the left-overs into soup the next night.

Keep On Walking

2012-01-03T11:33:00.000-05:00

2011 will go down for me as a page-turner. A chapter-changer. There will not be the usual fade-in, blurry, hazy change of a year this time. This time, it's different. I've felt and I can feel a shift. A change. It's like I have actually physically stepped over something in my path. The road before "It" looked one way and the road after "It" looks another. "It" isn't good, "It" isn't bad. "It" just is. I'm sure there will be another "It" for me at another time. I'm sure that I've had "Its" before but I just haven't had the clarity to recognize them like I do now.

I miss some things I started out with in 2011 that I didn't end up having at the end. Now that they are gone, I feel a little push. An urge. I recognize that everything is different now. I am different now. The world is not the same. I have stumbled upon "It" and "It" changed things.

It is true that without the bad times in life, you would never know the good. This year has shown me that I have strength, determination, the will to get up, keep going and look forward. We are healthy, we are together and when things get rough, we always, always, always have each other and that is enough. That is good enough.

No matter what the "It" is or when "It" comes, when you grab me, I'll grab you and we'll all keep on going together. This is our life. Our wonderful, full, big life and an "It" is weird but you have to keep on walking.

Happy New Year

2011-12-29T17:31:00.000-05:00

From All of Us to All of You...

Which One of You Has Been Better This Year?

2011-12-14T18:42:00.001-05:00

Not Disappointed

2011-12-03T10:02:00.002-05:00

Last New Year's Day when I made the resolution of traveling more, I certainly didn't expect for us to take as many trips as we have this year. The Rucci's have burned up airplanes, highways and taxi cabs this year. I'm pretty sure that in one year, we have traveled every form of transportation and even once with a highspeed police escort. My resolution this year is to win the lottery. We'll see what happens.

This Thanksgiving, we went with the Cougs to the Atlantis in the Bahamas for a tournament they were playing in. To say that Big and Daddy were over the moon and on a different planet is putting it mildly. The experience of traveling with a Division I basketball team and a Coach that they both think the sun rises and sets behind is one they will never forget. Lil' and I came along for the food and the sun. None of us were disappointed.

Jugs of Wine

2011-12-03T09:29:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was a little different for us this year. Scratch that. It was a lot different this year. We were able to travel with the team to the Bahamas for a tournament they were in so we celebrated with our people the weekend before. I channeled my inner Italian country cookin' mama mia' and I laid the hammer down. 4 courses. The real deal. We ate on my wedding china with Cora's silver and all the serving platters I have of hers.
1st course: Chunks of parmesan, crucolo and provolone. Spreads of speck, salami and prosciutto. Soft bagets with an olive oil imported straight from the mother land. Jugs of wine.
2nd course: Arugula with sprinkles of red onion and plum tomatoes. 3 handmade salad dressings: red wine vinaigrette, onion vinaigrette and a creamy balsamic. Jugs of wine.

3rd course: Home from College Sausage with hand-rolled ricotta cavetelli. Rigatoni covered with hand-crushed tomato sauce. Jugs of wine.

4th course: 2 different pork brachioles. One stuffed with a creamy shitake & parmesan cheese sauce. The other with grated parmesan, provolone and fresh parsley. Jugs of wine.

It was an Italian Sunday Dinner on a Saturday night in Charleston with jugs and jugs of wine.

boys did the dishes...

then we had a foot race. cause what's any meal without a foot race?

like i said. jugs of wine.

Happiness

2011-12-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

It's basketball season. Big and Daddy are in heaven. Who knew one round ball could bring two people so much happiness.

Right Here

2011-12-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

It gets me....

right here.

You're Welcome

2011-11-21T10:46:00.000-05:00

Holy Smokes!! My Sista who actually chose to be my Sista sent me this delightful little treat. She found it at http://www.thepartydress.net/. She says "You're Welcome."

Elf on the Shelf Calendar

Home From College Sausage

2011-11-03T11:30:00.002-04:00

When we were in NYC, we had a lovely rehearsal dinner at Frankies Spuntino. It was your way above average, eat your face off, family style Italian supper. Daddy and I have been to NYC several times over the years and have been introduced and re-introduced to all kinds of foods, the top of our list being the famous "dirty water dogs" (I only had one this time. A weak effort when one takes my 7 in one day record into consideration.) Moving on.

This time there was a stand-out. A dish so powerful, I've been thinking about it and trying to figure it out ever since in hopes that I could re-create in my little Rucci Kitchen. Well, last night after much searching and education on all-things Italian, I stumbled across the recipe and the Frankies cookbook.

Take a gander. I'm pretty sure this will be something my kids ask me to make when they came from college. Therefore, I'm re-naming this. From now on in our house it will be known as: Home From College Sausage.

If I'm being completely honest, I didn't make my own pasta (I will next time, I promise Cora!!!). I used a box of penne and it was still awesome! Don't worry the bark on this dish is much worse than it's bite. I was cleaned up and outta there in 30 minutes tops.

Cavatelli with Sausage and Sage Browned Butter

recipe from The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion and Cooking Manual

Ingredients:

1 pound hot Italian pork sausage (4 to 6 links depending on the size of the sausage)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
8-10 sage leaves
freshly ground white pepper
ricotta cavatelli (recipe below)
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Put a large pot of water on to boil and salt it well.

Meanwhile, put the sausage into your widest saute pan with ½ of water and turn the heat to medium. After 10 minutes, flip the sausages over and simmer the for another 5 minutes (replenish the water if it threatens to boil off). After 15 minutes, the sausages should be firm and cooked through. Remove the sausages to a cutting board (discard the water) and slice them into coins just shy of ½ inch. (You can do this an hour or even a day ahead of time if you like.)

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. After a minute, add the sausage coins in an even layer and let them cook, untouched, unstirred, unfussed with, until they’re deeply browned on the first side. (If there’s not enough room to brown all the sausage in one pan — which there will very probably not be — split it between two pans or brown it in two batches and use as additional tablespoon of butter.) Flip and brown them on the B side. The browning is integral to the ultimate depth of flavor of the finished dish — don’t stint on it. When the sausage is browned, remove it from the pan (a plate lined with paper towels is a nice place to hold it) and return the pan to the burner.

Keep the heat at medium-high and add the sage, the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, and a few twists of white pepper. Stire the butter and scrape the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. After a minute or two, it should stop foaming and start to take on color. That’s when you should drop the ricotta cavatelli into the boiling water. Continue to cook the butter until it’s deeply browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes more, which should be just about how long the cavatelli takes to cook.

Do not drain the cavatelli too thoroughly. The water clinging to the pasta will give the sauce body. Add it to the butter sauce along with the sausage and stir.

Add the cheese, stir again, and portion the cavatelli among several serving plates. Scatter each with a couple of pinches of parsley. Serve immediately.

Ricotta Cavatelli

recipe from The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion and Cooking Manual

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pasta
1 pound (about 1 pint) ricotta
1 large egg
Pinch of fine sea salt
Up to ¼ cup milk or water if necessary to adjust the dough

Directions:

Combine the flour, cheese, egg, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough comes together in a shaggy, integrated mass that clings to the hook. If the dough looks dry and refuses to coalesce into a ball, add milk by the tablespoon to encourage it. Remove the dough from the mixer and knead it by hand for a couple of minutes to smooth it out. Or, if you don’t have a mixer [** note from TasteSpotting editors: and why don't you have a KitchenAid stand mixer?!] use the well method mixing together the egg and ricotta (instead of egg and water) and plopping that down in the center of the well. Otherwise, it works the same way.

Clamp the cavatelli maker onto the edge of the counter or work surface. Cut the ball of dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each ball into a snake just less than 1″ thick. Crank the snakes through the cavatelli machine, lightly dust the cavatelli with flour, and arrange on a baking sheet. Use at once or hold for up to 1 day in the fridge.

To cook, drop the cavatelli into a large pot of well-salted boiling water and cook for 4 minutes after the first few begin to float on top of the water. Drain, sauce and serve.

Rather Have A Salad

2011-11-01T16:01:00.000-04:00

I know this is late but Nettie gave me a great idea for lighting my pumpkin this year - cut the bottom out, not the top and throw a mason jar with Christmas lights inside. That way, it can stay lit for days and days.

Twix are evil, I'd rather have a salad. I'll say it again, Twix are evil, I'd rather have a salad.

Page After

2011-10-28T23:03:00.000-04:00

So back to Uncle Yankee and Nemy. They had a beautiful wedding in a really cool church in Gramercy Park in NYC. Nemy was beautiful and Uncle Yankee stately. They both were so happy to be with eachother and to be surounded by everyone who loved them. People came from all over - from 3 different countries and 5 different states.

Daddy and the kids all had important jobs. Mine was just to watch and take it all in.

Here's to all the Pages After...

Page Before

2011-10-27T14:42:00.004-04:00

We've just returned from a family, and I mean the whole family, trip to NYC. We all loaded in cars, rode escalators, flew in planes, hopped buses and trains, worried about lost baggage, joseled children and pets, found hotels, had fights with cab drivers, figured out subways and got there man. We.Got.There.

Not just us. No, I mean sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents, in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends all made the trip. Even souls of loved ones who have passed were called upon to attend. And we were there. We were all there.

We all went to celebrate two people who decided it was time to marry each other. You see it was their chapter-turner and we all wanted to bear witness. Seeing two people literally turn a page in their own lives. Fascinating really. Enter "Uncle Yankee" and his new wife "Nemy".

Because there are so many incredible shots from the weekend and many more will follow, I'm going to break this post into 2, "Page Before & Page After".

We had a couple of days before the wedding to show Big and Lil' some important stuff. On top of that list was the 911 Memorial.

Here is the "Survivor Tree". It was only 8ft tall when they found it under the rubble in 2001. Now it's 35ft tall.

Uncle Yankee lost one of his oldest childhood friends in 911. We especially wanted to see his name and honor his memory.

Patricia's name is just under Scott's. I literally felt a pull in my uterus reading this.

Here's a little something to lighten the mood. Sorry Lil'. I just had to. God Bless America!

Someone had a hard time with all the walking in NYC. Not gonna' mention any names but I think the big city might be a little too much for some of us.

2 kids + no Daddy = 1 thirsty Mama. Kids, this is The Plaza. They have a bar.

Lil' was made for this place.

Big was not.

Bahahahahaha

2011-10-17T11:13:00.000-04:00

I ran into Lil's teacher at the grocery store the other day. She was laughing at something as she was walking up to me. I didn't know that something was me.

Me: Hey Ms. Marlo, how's it going?

Her: Oh good. (giggle giggle.) I have to tell you what your daughter said the other day. (giggle. giggle.)

Me (in my head): Oh good Lord. Please...Please....Hopefully not...

Her: We are working on our (giggle, giggle)"All About Me" books and we asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. (giggle. giggle.)

Me: Oh! Ok, what did she say?

Her: (giggle.giggle) She said she wanted to be a Cougar just like her Mama!!! Bahahahahahaha!!! We didn't "get it" until we realized you worked at the College!!! Bahahahahahaha!!!

Doin' It Right

2011-10-13T10:26:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday was a HUGE day for little Big. A HUGE day for Daddy and a HUMONGOUS day for my Daddy. Daddy and I have been married for 12 years (yes, I had to get a calculator out) and my Dad has been waiting for last Saturday since the night we got married. Seriously. On our way out of the reception, my Dad's only instructions were to "go make babies".

He's been waiting for Big to do what Big did since that night. And Big did it and he did it right. A 9pt buck with his 8 year old hands.

Please do not scroll further if you are a member of PETA, ASPCA, PAL, WEEAC, FoA, COK, CALA, or have been on a Sea Shepherd mission or if you are vegetarian, vegan, weak in the stomach, against the NRA, not sure if you want to remain in the PTA, the PCA or the AARP. Sorry, I got carried away but you're gonna see some deadness if you scroll further...

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-11T16:16:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things to do with my kids in the fall is to go to the Pumpkin Patch. We have a family farm here that has been owned by the same people since 1725. I think that's cool. Real cool. Lil's school takes a field trip there and this year, I went along too.

One of Those Times

2011-10-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

You know sometimes when you can't tell if someone is making fun of you or actually really likes what you are saying? Well, this is one of those times...

Puppies and Sweatbands

2011-09-30T12:03:00.000-04:00

When we were younger, my brother and I for the most part got along really well. Sista was much, much younger than us so usually it was just me and him. I did mostly "boy things". I never really played with dolls or barbies. For one I couldn't stand the mess it made and for two, those plastic faces just genuinely freaked me out and still do. So we did alot outside. We built BMX trails in the woods and had dirt-bomb wars. We rode bikes and built ramps. We played by a creek in our neighborhood that was super creepy and chased crawdads. We played outside.

Brother was always good to me. Sure we had our share of wrestling matches. I broke his arm once. He almost pushed me down the stairs another time. But we loved eachother and were and still are good friends.

Big and Lil' have a really good relationship too. I am afraid however that Big has inherited my knack for pickin'. He is constantly messing with her, trying to get a rise out of her. Since the day she was born, he has made it his job to make her scream and yell. He loves her for sure. He just loves to pick also.

Yesterday, while Big was at school, Lil' came to me with a question about a note that Big had left her. The note was taped to one of the little houses that she plays with constantly. It read:
"Hey Lil' -
Where are your little puppies you play with all the time?
Signed, Big"

I read it outloud before I had a chance to understand what he had done. It was a ransom note and he was out for blood this time. The look on Lil's face said it all. She would get to the bottom of this and quickly. She tore apart her room. She went through all of her buckets and buckets of small tiny plastic creatures. The puppies were gone and only Big knew where they were.

She couldn't wait for us to pick him up from school. She had her dooks up and she was ready to dance. "Hey Big, I got your note. Where are my puppies?" An evil grin spread across his face like butter on warm bread. "I don't know. I haven't seen them," he said. "Oh you haven't? Well I haven't seen your sweatbands either."

Stay tuned until next week when we discover the truth about puppies and sweatbands....

Returned the Favor

2011-09-23T09:08:00.000-04:00

Daddy's away right now and my big ol' bed is feeling empty. So I let Big sleep with me the other night. He climbed right in and got in my pocket. You know the pocket right? We all have a pocket. He fits right in there. Still.

After a while, I turned over. He did too. Then he spread his skinny little body out all over the place. This is the same little body that used to take up hardly any space at all. Now it takes up almost the whole bed.

After another little while, he wrapped his arms around me. Putting me in his pocket. I have spent so many nights and naps holding Big. Making him feel safe and warm. For the first time in his life, he held me the other night and returned the favor.

A Crush on Fall

2011-09-20T19:07:00.000-04:00

Can you smell it? Can you taste it? Can you see it? Can you feeeeeeeel it? Here's how I know it's almost Fall....

I wanna buy apples. Any kind of apple. Preferably one that says "Mountain" on it.

I don't wanna wear just tank tops. No, no friends. They must be layered now - underneath things.

There are leaves in my garage. And dog hair. And leaves.

I bought red wine today instead of white. On purpose. Oh and I've been thinking of whiskey.

And camping.

Almost every male member of my family has a little grin on their face because hunting season is just around the corner.

I wanna take my sweet little Mamas to get rubbed on. Oh, you've got a dirty mind. I'm talkin' bout my boots!

Yes, Fall is here. The wind has shifted from heavy and thick, to thin and chilly. The sky looks different and the shadows are longer. Fall is a page turner for those of us down South. Not necessarily a whole chapter. It's a brief moment to catch our breath. To breathe in and to breathe out and take in all that nature gives us.

I've got a secret and please, don't tell Summer...I think I've got a crush on Fall.

Get It Done.

2011-09-19T10:16:00.000-04:00

Get it done Son. Get.It.Done.

How To Shine

2011-09-14T21:34:00.007-04:00

Welp, she's finally made it. Lil' has waited and waited for her birthday and it finally came. On Thursday, we had a little family dinner at her favorite spot in town. She's a big soup eater that one. Loves it. Miso, Chicken, Clear, you name it...she's a fan. So that's what she had.

She's also a big Barbie fan. And a pink fan. And an anything small fan. Oh and a makeup, dress-up, let your inner girliest girl out fan. So we had that type of party. And it was fun... oh, yes friends. It.Was.Fun. Let's start at the beginning. Shall we?

There was a little jewlery involved.

Just a touch of makeup...

A few other details...

Some Nettie French Twists...

And a few really good friends...

Of course some friends may have gotten more carried away than others....

get it?

Yes, in this crazy world, sometimes we all need to pretend for a while because....

the truth is never too far behind. Had to ;)

Happy 5th Birthday to my sweetest little Lil'. You are my star and I watch you every single day to learn how to shine.

Close By

2011-09-06T12:01:00.000-04:00

I don't even know how to say what I want to say about Warren. I've started and stopped over and over. I've thought that maybe I shouldn't write anything at all. But then I realized that I want to remember. I don't want to forget. To say how much I loved him out loud is the least I can do for him. Especially after all he did for me.

Last week was gut wrenching. Horribly sad and unforgettable all for the wrong reasons. To make the decision about when my best friend's life should stop was as another friend put it, "ridiculous".

He lived a lifetime with me. He was quite simply, the first member of my own little family. He was there before Daddy. There before I even began to think mature, adult thoughts. There before I ever grew up. So we did it together and he was patient.

I keep looking for him. He is everywhere and no where all at the same time. He's watching me in the garden. He's sleeping in the yard. He magically appears on the porch and is propped up in a box in the garage. He is alive in my mind and close by in my heart.

The Big is big.

2011-08-30T07:33:00.000-04:00

Big is big. No doubt about it. He doesn't pee in the bed or sleep with a blanket. He takes a shower and bathes himself. He makes his own breakfast. He ties his shoes and is learning to multiply. He has chores and takes the trash out.

I miss the days when he was little and needed me for everything. He was a happy baby that never really got riled up over anything.

Now he's 8 and he doesn't need me as much. But every now and again, I'll catch a glimpse of my baby. My baby that is Big.

That baby wasn't around this weekend though when he and 6 friends went to the waterpark for his birthday. No, no. There was no denying it. My baby was big.

Even though a hurricane threatened to ruin our day, and Mother Nature gave him his first birthday gift of canceled school, we managed to get his party done. He had a blast and is on his way with his Daddy to see the Panthers vs. Greenbay Packers game in Charlotte on Sept. 18th.

Pickin' Up What I'm Puttin' Down

2011-08-25T13:47:00.010-04:00

I like to lay my kids' clothes out the night before school. I find that this eliminates early morning tiffs, questions, whining, and searching for things. It just makes my mornin' a whole lot more do-able.

Last night, when I went upstairs to start the bedtime stuff, I came across this little diddy in Lil's room. Looks like somebody's pickin' up what I'm puttin' down...

Take it all in folks. Get a good look at perfection.

She had even decided on a clip for her hair...

After I had a moment to soak up and explore the sheer loveliness, I looked harder and inside the skirt, I found a pair of panties that she laid out. Thorough is the word that came to mind.

Yes, it's true I guess. She's definitely pickin' up what I'm puttin' down.

My Lil'

2011-08-22T19:03:00.004-04:00

Lil' had a big day today. She started 4K.

She's big.
Not little.

But I still think she is.

She's my Lil'.

Sleepy Grey Saturday Night

2011-08-20T19:54:00.002-04:00

I'm in the lucky seat. I've got a little sweet head resting on each shoulder. Sweet kiddo heads that smell sleepy and cuddly. Like your blankets and lambies do. 2 little heads that grunt and breathe and wiggle around.

Little droopy eyelids. So tired and heavy. Heavy little arms wrapped around mine. Another moment that I'll miss when you grow up. This.is.it. This.is.what.I'll.miss. A sleepy grey Saturday night.

Rolling Around In It

2011-08-20T12:37:00.008-04:00

Hold on a second summer! Before you go flying out the door, there are couple of things I wanted to talk about.

I really appreciate the fact that in spite of all the work I had to do, I still managed to squeeze every last drop out of you. The day trips to Edisto, the quick trips to great grandparents, the beach days, and swimming lessons, having Miss E. come and stay at Camp She-She, fireworks in the field, the vacation in the mountains, the week in Chapin, having my besties visit, the boat trip to Beaufort, bike rides, lightning bugs, fishing, jellyfish stings, throwin' my cast net. Yes, I accomplished all that I set out to do. It was epic and I'm thankful.

There are some pictures that I want to make sure we have in the book.

And this one that has two of the kindest, sweetest people in one shot. Together on their shared special birthday. The day they were born and brightened so many other people lives. A day that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with me all at the same time.

Then the final picture of the summer. That one that sums it up. You can tell how unhappy we all were about it. His face. My lack of caring that its a terrible picture. We were all sad to see this summer roll out. But man, it was so fun rolling around in it.

Grown Up

2011-08-11T11:52:00.001-04:00

It is upon us. The tick, tick, tock, tock is in our ears. Paper cuts, trying to open a zip lock bag at 6:45am, sweeping up eraser bits from under the table, looking for socks in the morning, bookbags on the floor. Oh yes. It is here.

We met Big's 3rd Grade teacher last night. Her name is Mrs. Goldberg. She seems sweet and nice. I think he's going to like her. My 3rd grade teacher was Mrs. Upton. She taught me how to write in cursive.

I heard they don't teach cursive in schools anymore. What's up with that? Now your kid has 0 chance of ever being able to forge an absence note. Poor things.

Big says he needs to get himself together. He thinks he's been out of control. I told him to not be so hard on himself but he's got a whole new set of problems this year and they all revolve around his Aunt Emmie. She's teaching 5th grade at his school now. He says he will have a whole other set of "Eagle Eyes" on him. What's an "Eagle Eye" exactly?

Yikes! Scary. He really is happy she'll be there but now he has extra pressure on him to be good, to do well and for heaven's sake, use his manners.

Yep, things are changing for the ol' Big. He's growing up and gettin' bigger. This summer he's learned to bait his own hook and take a fish off. He's learned how fun the mountains can be in the summer and that if you put your mind to it, you can turn a dock into a boat. He's started eating sushi and he likes to heat up his own sausage biscuit in the morning. He has learned that it's important to visit your great-grandparents because even though they are 81 years older than you, they love you like they've known you THEIR whole life. He's decided he likes his hair short, not long. So he got it cut the other day. He's worried that I don't like it. But I do. It just makes me nervous how grown up he is.

Cooler For A Spell

2011-08-07T10:59:00.003-04:00

The Big and Lil' have had an adventurous couple of weeks. The first was spent with Nettie and Papa in Chapin: fishing, cooking, swimming, eating things at 9am that should be eaten at 3 or 4pm, staying up late, getting dirty, burping, pooting, peeing in the yard. An all out free-for-all. While the kids were there, Daddy and I worked but also had fun being married without kids again. We didn't do much but we did have some great peeps come to town for a golf tournament and for some real down home swimming in the pool late at night, laughing your hiney off fun. It was a great break for all of us.

On Sunday, we picked up the little dirt balls and took them to a place with a whole other climate. I love where we live. It's beautiful. There is water at every turn and marsh grass and spanish moss swinging in the breeze. That breeze. That breeze is hot folks. It's swampy. And mosquitoey. A breeze that blows at 98 degrees is really no breeze at all. More like hot hangover breath. So, we got outta town and went cooler for a spell and here's what we learned:
- Big loves a wife beater t-shirt.
- Lil' is a little bit more brave than we've all given her credit for.
- Mama and Daddy can look really rough at times.
Here's what we did:
- Sliding Rock - slid down 60ft of river rock. Yes, even you Lil'.
- Hiked
- Floated the Green River
-Fished and fished and fished.

Where She's Been

2011-08-03T21:38:00.001-04:00

Because I want to make sure that this post by my sister makes it into my blog book, I've copied and pasted it here. Not only is she awesome because I can always count on her to capture the moment, but she's also great because she loves her nieces and nephews enough to make special trips like this one when I can't go. Nettie comes from here and these are all reasons why we love her....

Where I Have Been

I have been so excited about this post. I could hardly wait until I got home to share where I have been, because I can promise you- there's nothing, absolutely nothing quite like it.

The last few days I have been digging my bare feet in the sand and smelling whiffs of old tobacco barns. I have been covered in cat hair and dog hair and loving every minute of it. I have been eating field peas with snaps and drinking Mountain Dews. I have been hearing chickens, donkeys, tractors, and the hum window ac units mixed with Grandma's big band 1930s music. I have been to a place where time is a lot s..l..o..w..e..r. And let me tell you- it feels so good to slow down. There's truly no way of explaining where I have been, so I'll just have to show you.

This is where my mama's from and this is where a lot of the parts of my siblings and I come from. I see glimpses of us from time to time whether it may be in the swimming hole, in the barn, on the other end of a fishing line, or inside a giant magnolia tree. Now, I even see it in these little faces...

Yep, this is where I have been.

This Time

2011-07-22T09:46:00.003-04:00

House: Hi.
Me: What's up?
House: You know, I'm kind of a mess.
Me: What's the matter? Girl problems?
House: Very funny. You know what I mean. I'm a mess.
Me: Well I don't think you're a mess. You look fine to me.
House: Really? Cause my toilets have teetee all over them and there are a couple of spiders in my corners. Can you do something about that?
Me: Listen man. It's summer. I've been busy. Can't you just get off my back and let me chill a little bit?
House: That's fine but you know that only means more teetee for you and I guess I won't mention the green bean casserole layer of dust on my furniture. You know that's just millions of itsy bitsy bugs just crawlin around, right?
Me: Oh, you just had to go there didn't you.
House: I'm sorry. It's just that I saw you outside yesterday and I don't understand why you would rather spend time with him than me. I'm so much cooler.
Me: By him, you mean the yard, right?
House: mmmhmmm
Me: Listen house, yard has been ignored most of the summer because he's so hot. I guess I haven't spent as much time on you as I should. It's just that no matter how much time I spend on you, you just can't keep yourself clean. And that... well that...just sucks. If you promise me that this time will be different I suppose I could spend a little time with you today.
House: Yes! I promise with all my windows. I'll do a better job this time. I'll keep myself clean.
Me: You better. And I'm serious this time.

Oil of Conversation, Matters of Principle

2011-07-19T20:02:00.002-04:00

Perhaps I've made mention before of my love of the whiskey drink. It is really something that runs in our family. When I first learned to take a "pull" of the bottle, I also learned that one should toss the cap as far into the woods as possible. This motion proves your intent. Makes you stick to your guns and if nothing else says, "If I'm going down, you're going with me." Whiskey in our family has been used in recipes, as cough medicine and as bug repellent. Some families see vinegar as an all purpose fix, our sees whiskey as such.

I first heard the following hollared on the porch of house in Alberton, Montana where my brother was living for a spell. The next time was at his wedding. What strikes me about it most is the passion behind the words and the southern accent that I imagine in the delivery...

In 1952, Armon M. Sweat, Jr., a member of the Texas House of Representatives, was asked about his position on whiskey. What follows is his exact answer (taken from the Political Archives of Texas):

"If you mean whiskey, the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean that evil drink that topples Christian men and women from the pinnacles of righteous and gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, shame, despair, helplessness, and hopelessness, then, my friend, I am opposed to it with every fiber of my being.

However, if by whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the elixir of life, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer, the stimulating sip that puts a little spring in the step of an elderly gentleman on a frosty morning; if you mean that drink that enables man to magnify his joy, and to forget life's great tragedies and heartbreaks and sorrow; if you mean that drink the sale of which pours into Texas treasuries untold millions of dollars each year, that provides tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitifully aged and infirm, to build the finest highways, hospitals, universities, and community colleges in this nation, then my friend, I am absolutely, unequivocally in favor of it.

This is my position, and as always, I refuse to compromise on matters of principle."

Just Like Mine

2011-07-13T10:16:00.001-04:00

Somebody told me yesterday that this is the "magic age" for my kids. The age that you would get along with eachother the best. "Shut the front door" I said. "Holy Cats! Cheese and Rice! Eggs and Bacon!" I missed it. "Yep, 7 and 4, those are the best years. They will never like eachother more or have more in common than they do right now," she said. "Well, isn't that a beaver!" I said. "I didn't even know! And their birthdays are right around the corner!" "Well, your time is almost up," she told me. "Soon it will all be over."

I've mentioned here before about the friendship I have amongst my siblings. I regard the 2 of them as 2 of my closest and best friends. Sure, we've had some doozie arguments but the fact remains that we understand eachother's crazy (and I mean for.real.crazy) mind and for the most part we are always in the other's corner. All 3 of us are married now and have wonderful partners but there's something about knowing in your heart that there's another person out there made out of the same stuff.

I tell you kids all the time that you shouldn't fight or be mean to eachother because there's only 2 of you in the whole wide world. Eachother is all you've got. I hope you remember that not just when you're 7 and 4 but also when you're 74 and 71. I hope your "magic age" turns into "any age" just like mine has.

Little Simple Summer Things

2011-07-11T11:19:00.002-04:00

I've been beating myself up lately. Kicking myself in the stomach. Worrying that I haven't been able to give you kids a "summer to remember". I feel like I'm always trying to beat your clock. I constantly want to shove it all in; everything I think you need to experience as a kid. I want you to feel it, taste it, smell it - remember it. Remember us.

So on the days when I'm not working, I try to plan fun things. I dream up excursions. Things I think you would want to do. Things that I think you will remember and tell your kids about. It's important to me. It burns in me.

But yesterday, when Lil' and I went on a quick bike trip up to the Lil' Cricket to get a Push-Up, I started remembering my summers:

A pool so soaked in the smell of gardenias it almost made you choke.
Running through sheets on the clothesline.
A hot wooden dock under my feet.
The burn from a ski rope.
Ice Cream truck jingles.
Sippin' honeysuckles.
Diesel fuel and brim.
Jumping in waves.
Bicycle grease on my legs.

Class in session - here's the lesson: I remember that we took vacations and I know they were fun and it was so great that my Dad was with us and wasn't working. I remember that my Mom was happy and relaxed. But what stands out for me the most from my summers as a kid were the little things that we did everyday. The things that were easy and the things that I expected every summer. The little simple summer things.

About Her

2011-07-07T12:34:00.000-04:00

My Sista has it goin' on...

and I love that about her.

Lately

2011-06-24T12:50:00.001-04:00

Even More.

2011-06-07T20:49:00.000-04:00

Lil' had her dance recital this weekend and she was magnificent. I need to know though...

when it happened. Exactly. When it happened...

That moment that she grew up.

Right in front of us...

in a blink of an eye.

She had quite the audience. But one in particular...

that made her heart dance

even more.

Chicken Poop

2011-06-03T14:18:00.002-04:00

Me: "Alright guys it's time for supper."

Lil': "What is this?"

Me: "Don't worry Lil' you're gonna like it."

Lil': "It looks like chicken poop."

Me: "It's.Not.Chicken Poop Lil'. It's. Stuffed.Shells."

Lil': "Well, it looks like chicken poop."

It's Summertime!

2011-06-02T13:50:00.000-04:00

Hmmm....

- I've heard "Im Bored" exactly 5 times today.
- My kids are fighting more than usual.
- My house smells like sweaty boys.
- I haven't seen Lil' today without a popsicle in her mouth.

Must mean it's Summertime!

One Day

2011-05-23T13:48:00.000-04:00

"Mommy and Wa-Wen sittin in a tree. K-I-F-D-M-O-E. 1st comes the puppy then comes the kitty then comes the bird walking down the street."

She'll get it one day.

Rich In Love

2011-05-19T16:36:00.000-04:00

I'm determined to not take this forgranted. These days that seem to go on forever but are incredibly short all the same. The moments when you're

thinking...

just being quiet...

holding on to each other...

smiling your smiles...

eating your cookies...

flashing your blues...

and chasing yourself.

I'm holding on to these days for dear life because I know they are precious. I know they won't stay too long. I'm lucky to have you and I won't forget that. We are blessed. All of us. And what we don't have in the pocket, we got in the heart. We are rich in love.

People.

2011-05-17T09:11:00.000-04:00

Being from a small town is something that I've become thankful for. I wasn't originally really happy that everyone always knew my business, but as I've gotten older, being from Chapin is something I hugely embrace. It's a good thing when a community wraps it's arms around itself and never lets go no matter where you go and no matter how old you get.

This past Friday, our little community came together, all bound by a passion for life and the freedom to live it. One of our People is sick. Really sick. So some of our other people got together to do something about it. They didn't ask for help but we all came together and gave it. We gave it because we wanted to, needed to and had to.

In the middle of the night when we never thought we would, we all looked around at faces we hadn't seen in years and at our People who are there for you when you need them the most. One of the spearheads of the evening sums it up best...

All it took was a simple e-mail and this generosity unfolded. As I reflect back on the last six weeks of my life, I realize that the experience of helping David has given me more then I could ever give him. In one word, I am reconnected. Reconnected to those who have come in and out of my life, to those who have always been in my life, to those who are only in my life because we know and love David, and to that inner love and glow we are born with, but seems to lessen in brightness as we age.

Oh and that feeling I can't shake of my true "Breakfast Club" moment. Being overwhelmed with things to do, life to live, stuff to move, money to make, conversations to be had, the feeling of being alone surrounded by so many and there you were. Yes, all of you. The girl I sat next to in science, the guy I kissed in the closet, the parent's who had an entire slumber party sneak out, my mother, my amazing sisters, girl friends that no matter how long it has been or what it is are always there for you, those boys that you are able to call at 10:30 on a friday that drop everything and come and move an entire gym. Yes! That moment......As I sat outside the gym with all of my lifelong friends and family I couldn't help but want to write my own letter to Mr. Vernon.

Dear Mr. Vernon,

We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole friday and saturday in the school gym to help out a friend. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess..and a criminal... We found that we will always help each other out, we found out that even large boxes can be moved in heels, we found out that laughter is in everything, we found out that everyday is a blessing, and we found out that we will always have each other....Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club

To my Breakfast Club I want to say thank you and this would not have been possible without the help of each and everyone of you. We were able to raise over $7,000.00. A special thanks to Stacey, Amber, Cam, Daye, Mom, Dad, Beth, Kay, Sam, Alicia, Gayle, Mary, Carlie, Denise, Kristie, Stacy, Ashley, Laura, Allison, Jeremy, Timmy, Gus, Martin, Matt, Chris, Russell, Brent, Clay and everyone who donated time, food, items and money... Live everyday to the fullest!

I'm proud of those People. People who have their own lives now but will never forget where they have come from. People who love their People no matter where they go.

Ready To Take It

2011-05-09T20:15:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking alot lately about this birthday. As everyone knows, I love birthdays. I especially love my birthday. But this birthday has me feeling, well, a bit weak in the knees. 35 has been a number that has yelled at me ever since I reached that age when you quit wanting to be older and you start wanting to be younger. You know what I'm talking about. I think it's a different age for all of us but it happens to everyone.

I vividly remember my parents at 35. They had built their dream house and finished building our family. My dad was at the top of his game professionally and my mom finally discovered confidence in herself. They had it going on as they say. So 35 for me has always represented the age where one must get serious. It would be time for me to really hunker down and start checking some things off the old life list. I could get away with goofing off all the years before, but at 35 it would be time to get down to business and shake off the shananigans.

Well here it is. Blaring down on me like the hot summer sun. The question is... how do I feel? Do I feel like it's time to really grow up? The answer is... good and hell no. The problem is...should I? Should I stress about my age? Should I change my focus? Here's what I've decided...

I'm proud of several things I've accomplished:
- My degree. My Bachelor of Arts.
- My marriage. 12 years and counting. It has been a great swim that closely resembles a journey across the Atlantic with great sweeping waves and then limitless calming seas. There is no land in sight and it makes me glad to know that we're still swimming.
- My children. 7 and 4. Whoever thought me and your Daddy would make something as cool as you? Not this guy. That's for sure.
- My friendships. I have grown deep, solid, lasting friendships with people who do not need very much watering and yet our relationships flourish and I have a bountiful garden that I'm very proud of.
- The bond with my brother, sister, Mom and Dad. Our family is ridiculous. We are ridiculous. The love we have for eachother, you get it, ridiculous.

Are there still things yet to do? Goals left unreached? Will my life be entirely different in 5 years? Yes. Yes and Yes. But as I approach this year and take a good hard look in the mirror, I'm happy with what I've done and where I am. Sure thinking about it makes my face grimmace a little like the first sip of whiskey but it warms my heart to know that I've done better than I thought I would have. I've reached that big giant adult step and I'm ready to take it.

Arriba!

2011-05-05T13:22:00.001-04:00

Because it's Cince de Mayo and because it's just plain delicious, please take the time to try...

Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

Prep Time 20 Minutes
Cook Time 4 Hours Servings 8

Ingredients

■4 pounds (up To 7 Pounds) Pork Shoulder
■1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
■1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
■1 teaspoon Chili Powder
■1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
■Pepper To Taste
■3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
■1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
■2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
■¼ cups Brown Sugar
■1 whole Onion
■Lime Wedges

Preparation Instructions

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.

To begin, just throw the dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender. (I happen to love brown sugar in my cooking, but you can decrease or omit it if you like.)

Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder.

Now rub it into every nook and cranny of the meat, tucking it under folds an in crevices. Let no stone go unturned.

Then place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add a couple of cups of water. Cover tightly and roast pork at 300º for several hours, turning once every hour.

When it is fork tender, crank up the heat, remove the lid, and roast it, skin side up for another 15 to 20 minutes to get the skin crispy. When it’s done, let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded be sure to pour the juices all over the meat.

Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, tomatillo salsa

Arriba!

Peeps For Rainblo Gum

2011-04-27T14:15:00.001-04:00

My Easter's of yester years were fantastic. Good times spent with my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. We have always gone to Mabel and Clyde's. It's really all I know. There are casseroles there. And ham. Salty ham.

My cousins and I played games like "boat patrol" and "the blob" and basically laughed and wrestled until we passed out on Mabel's floor like a bunch of bums. This is how it went until we got older and started drinking beer. Then the games turned into something a little different but still super fun. I love my cousins. All of them. Even the newer/est ones.

Where was I? Oh yea. So this Easter was a little different in that only our family went and it was still fun and yummy and all that Easter should be. Except now there are new kids who are taking over and doing what we used to do. These kids are good at making a rukus. But they'll never be the Johnny Dollar singing band from the old days. No, no kids. The bar has been set and you've got a long way to go and alot of balconies to dance on and alot of steps to run up and down.

On the dock...

Is it true that if you stick a brick on your kids' head at night, they won't grow so fast? I'm gonna try it.

The bottom of all the steps...

Inseperable...

Loves...

Yes, PA I started cuttings for you. Won't be ready for a while though...

The real rose...

Easter egg hunt...

This is pretty sweet, huh? Does it get sweeter? Wait for it... wait for it...

Told you.

The most perfect easter egg dye bowl ever...

Late night trip to the beach.

The only time I could catch Big with my camera. Great job camera.

Daddies on the beach with their babies are so sweet. Even if it's your gross brother.

I'm putting this Easter memory into my Easter file in my brain with all the other ones. I'll put it out again in a few years to review. But I gotta be honest, my favorite files are the old ones when we were kids and we ruled the place. "The Blob" was the most fun game of the year and I traded my peeps for your rainblo gum.

The Point.

2011-04-25T15:18:00.001-04:00

I need to cheer myself up so please bear with me....

1 - We are all healthy and so are our parents, kids, brothers & sisters and friends. Thank God. Amen.

2 - I wish my Grandpa Jim and Daddy's Grandma Cora and Grandpa Ralph were still alive but it's nice to know that they all hang out together in heaven. I'm glad we've still got the grands we've got and I'm real glad our kids know and get to love them.

3 - I'm thankful for our home. Our kids love it here so even if I have to wait for my farm, I'll do it knowing that it will come one day.

4 - Not having money sucks.the.big.one. But it's ok. Want = Want and Need = Need. You gotta know the difference. You gotta know the difference. You gotta know the difference. (Sorry, had to say it 3 times to get myself to believe it).

5 - One of my besties birthdays' is this week. Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting her be born. I'd be a mud puddle without her.

6 - Beer is awesome. Especially when it's cold.

7 - We live in a really beautiful place. We get 4 seasons and this one is my runner-up fave.

8 - My kids are so great that other people want them around them too.

9 - My husband is so great that he worries he's not good enough for us even though he's all we've ever needed.

10 - Hang in there. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. (3 times the charm, you get the point)

Folleva

2011-04-22T08:59:00.000-04:00

The following is a recipe for "the best day ever + Folly Beach = Folleva"; which was enjoyed by my sister and I yesterday...

2 cups of husbands outta town
2 cups of kids outta town
2 cups of sisters sitting on beach
1 cooler
1qt of afternoon rain shower with hail
1 house with no power
1 crazy idea
2 tablespoons of bikes
2 sisters who shouldn't ride bikes on bikes in the rain
1 double enormous, gigantic rainbow stretching over Charleston Harbour

Mix first 6 ingredients and beat slowly until combined but still lumpy. Add next 4 ingredients and increase the mixing speed until one sister (not me!) crashes bike. Bake for 8 hours until red all over.

Enjoy your Folleva.

Just Not Right

2011-04-20T19:18:00.000-04:00

It's Spring Break and because I have to work, Big and Lil' are getting some good time in with Nettie and Papa. It's been a nice week for me and Daddy. Coming home from work and not watching kid shows. Not making grocery store trips. Not picking out clothes for the next day at bedtime. Not opening bags of gummies. Not settling fights. Not checking dates on milk cartons. Not saying "No running in the house or Don't bounce the ball in here."

But we're also not kissing eyelids before bedtime. Not getting random hugs and sweet I love you's. Not hearing "You're the best cooker ever." Not hearing a booming, bustling house or contagious giggles. Not reading books to stuffed puppies or talking to fish in fishtanks. Not seeing our beating hearts walking right in front of us.

You're not here and that's just not right.

Your Booty

2011-04-13T18:36:00.001-04:00

I am one of the "older ones" of our traveling Widespread team. To try and explain why at my age I still love their music, their fans and these "Mommy" trips I take is difficult to say the least but to put it plainly... it makes me feel young again. When I go to these shows, I remember so many good times with good people and for 4 hours, I feel like a kid again with no responsibilities, no where to be and no one to look after.

Last night marked 20 years for me and some of my other friends. 20 years of faithful patronage seeing a band that I've grown up with. The Band has known me for years. Watched me fight through being a teenager and turn into a young adult. They're still sticking by me through my 30's and I'm pretty sure that we've got a little more left in us. We may all be getting older but some things I guess stay the same. A good time with good people and good music never ever gets old even though your booty might be.

Far From Home

2011-04-05T15:24:00.001-04:00

My memories of childhood vacations are especially happy ones made up of old, dusty beach houses and summers spent with my toes in the most splendid of all farm sand. A trip here or there to Disney World and then there were the occasional trips out west to ski when construction was really booming. As I've grown up, my parents still invited me along and gave me the pleasure of meeting Montana, the most beautiful of all 50 states. And they still treat us all every summer to our family's favorite southern paradise, Edisto.

Daddy and I have also taken some great trips to fantastic places but we've always been considerate of our budget and the repercussions of an expensive vacation. The price was always reasonable but the value of being alone together was priceless.

Last week the vacation fairy visited and we spent it with a silver spoon in our mouths. Vacationing in a place where your every need is met and kids walk around with popped collars and $200 sunglasses chompin on lobster and $10 ice cream cones. I've never lived that way. Never. But we have some sweet friends who occassionally do and were willing to give us a glimpse of how the other side lives.

We went to a place in Key Largo called the Ocean Reef Club. It's a little spot surrounded by emerald green water and perfectly accented in pinks, electric blues, yellows and white. There are million dollar yachts and fishing boats every where you turn and golf carts that cost more than my car. There is expensive food. Expensive wine. Expensive this and expensive that. And it was nice to leave the worries of our mortgage and bills and dissapear to a place where no one worries about those things.

During the day, we played and swam our hearts out. We ate until our bellies were full and Daddy and I fell asleep every night with a soft buzz in our head that reminded us in the morning that we are getting older.

This vacation was fun. But aren't they all? What I learned last week was that it doesn't matter where you are when you take the time to stop your normal routine and take a breath. Being in a place like this is nice but just being on a vacation is the greatest gift of all. No matter where you go on vacation, some things will always be the same....

Excitement still looks the same way.

A certain swagger is in your step...

The more will always be merrier...

and ready really means ready....

You can never go wrong when there are boats involved...

and it's always fun to have your kids...

Tired looks the same no matter where you are...

And so will Lil's cannon ball...

Daddy will always look relaxed....

and Auburn will always be number 1....

Laughing is fun...

and catching you doing it is too...

You can play soccer anywhere...

and sand on your feet feels good...

Daddies are awesome...

and Mama's are too...

Blue eyes are still blue...

Big boys are still sweet...

and there's nothing better than a seafood dive...

Beer makes every afternoon better...

and your kids still grow up.

Jumpin off of boats will always be fun no matter how old you are...

and so is eating lobster...

and more cannon balls...

A new place is always fun to see...

and as long as your with your people, you're never that far from home.

Welcome.

2011-04-04T11:20:00.000-04:00

Last week was one for the books friends. Some much needed r&r and some well deserved spoiling for the kids. It was better than could have ever, ever been imagined. It was amazing. It. Was. Epic.

Welcome to Miami.

Welcome to the Reef.

Welcome to the lagoon.

Welcome to a perpetual smile on his face.

Welcome friends.

Welcome Lil'.

Welcome warmth.

Welcome.

Way Too Fast

2011-03-23T09:44:00.000-04:00

When I was pregnant with Lil', my Mom had a picture blown up of me with this poem on it:

These Last Few Hours

It is important to me that I spend a part of the next few hours
here alone with you in the darkness.

You and I will never be this close again.
By morning you will be a tiny person all your own.

No longer the kicking, demanding bulge in my body
that I have grown to love so well.

I pray God will safely guide you on your Journey
and, I ask him for strength to help you all I can.

Again, you signal your impatience to be free.

Time to wake your Daddy!

Now here's the thing. I had c-sections with both of you so I knew pretty much exactly when you were coming into the world. So this poem really sits with me because with all the happiness and excitement about you being born there was a sense of sadness knowing that you would be leaving me and becoming a person all on your own. I would have to share you after having you all to myself for 10 months. (Don't let anybody ever try and trick you into thinking a pregnancy lasts 9 months!) And that made me sad because from the time I knew about you, in my eyes you were already growing up too fast.

You've being growing up too fast your whole life and no matter how much I beg you, you don't listen and you keep on going. You're big. You're strong. You have opinions, wants, goals. You're no longer the little twisting bundle in my belly.

There is a part of this poem that is still and will always remain the most poignant for me: "I pray God will safely guide you on your Journey and, I ask him for strength to help you all I can." I know there's nothing I can do to make you stay small. You've already proven that. But please know this. I have prayed for your journey since before you took your first breath. I pray for your journey every day and I know that I always will. You are my babies. My wonderful little creatures. My little bundles that are growing up way too fast.

That Kind of Sticking

2011-03-18T09:11:00.000-04:00

Probably one of my all time favorite things in the whole wide world is watching a Friday afternoon on King Street. It's not just me though. I'm pretty sure that everyone else loves it too. You can see it in their faces and smell it in the air.

On any given day King Street is cool but when Friday comes, somehow it gets even better. Especially this time of year when the weather is warmer and the breeze is a little slower and the flops are spanking the sidewalk.

For those of us who have the luck to live here now or to have lived here before, King Street on a Friday sticks with you and that kind of sticking feels good.

Mama Juices

2011-03-14T15:59:00.000-04:00

Ooof, I gotta good one today. One of those that makes your heart hiccup or the little fish flutter in your tummy or the lump swell in your throat. One of those that makes me remember how lucky I am to be your Mama.

I love that you still run to me when you get out of school. Even though everyday that mean ole' biddy says "Don't run" in a way that sounds "Meoooow meoooow", you still do it and I don't tell you not to. I don't even look at you funny. You don't even get the squint eye. Cause I like it and it makes me feel good. In fact, it makes my day. You did it again today. On this perfect 80 degree, bright sunshine, warm breezy day. Except this time to make that mean ole' biddy even more mad, I ran to you too. She didn't like that one bit. Well that's what you get you mean ole' jelly bean.

Sure it was a cheezy Folgers commercial. Sure it would embarrass you if you were just 6 months older. But on this day, you didn't care and neither did I. And on this day, you followed it up with an "I missed you today Mama."

And that's what did it. That's what got all my Mama juices flowin' today.

Big's Basketball Career

2011-03-09T16:53:00.001-05:00

Daddy's been at it again. Here's a new video on Big's basketball career....

The Plan

2011-03-07T09:51:00.000-05:00

Let's catch up, shall we?

Big, you're big. You read. A lot. There is a small handful of things that you really love. You love your basketball, your sweatband and macaroni and cheese. You hate to do your homework because all you want to do is play outside everyday and for as long as you can. You love your friends and all you want to do in this whole wide world is have fun.

Lil, you're crazy. You're still crazy. There is a big handful of things that you really love. You love your doll Emily, your Barbies and these really dumb itsy bitsy puppies. You also love these weird ducks and you make me make a nest for them every night in your bed.

Then you make Daddy and I pinky swear that we won't touch the ducks and they'll still be there in the morning. You hate bugs but you want to be with your brother so you brave it and you follow him. You love your friends too but you love Big most of all. You're terribly clumsy and you always have lots of bruises on your legs because of that.

You're both growing up so fast. And I try to soak it all in. The noise. The bouncing balls. The messes. The laundry. I want to squeeze every drop out of this time. This precious time. When you still want to sleep with us. When you still want to hug us and be near us. When you still wrestle and say "ewwwwwwww" when people kiss on tv.

It's hard to believe that my reality will ever be anything other than what it is now. Because this reality is the reality that you always think about when you are growing up: Who will I marry? How many kids will I have? Where will we live? Those questions have all been answered for me now but I never could have imagined you would all be so great. I never would have imagined that this was the plan.

The Doing.

2011-03-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

Here's what I've been doing. And I'm NOT a fan of doing what I've been doing. What I've been doing is not fun. Because it keeps doing and they keep on doing and so then I keep on doing and the doing goes on and on and on. And I'm tired of doing the doing. But the doing doesn't quit. Oh no, the doing keeps going.

** The following pictures are for blog purposes only and should not be forwarded on to the television series Nanny 911, Nancy Grace or Oprah. They also should not be sent to any magazines that claim to help you organize yourself, help you with laundry or help you get your life together overall. Thank you.

Spring Has Sprung

2011-02-27T20:10:00.000-05:00

In our house... spring has sprung friends.
Spring has sprung.

The Gift of You

2011-02-22T10:28:00.000-05:00

When people I love have birthdays, I like to tell them that "I'm happy they were born." What I really mean is, "I'm happy you have affected me. I'm happy you have made a difference in my life. I would not be the same without you." I try to be sure to tell them this on their day. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love a birthday.

So today, is Daddy's day. The day Daddy was born. A day that had nothing to do with me but totally affects me. Wouldn't it be cool if we thought every day had the potential to affect the rest of our lives? Wouldn't you wake up with the birds pulling back your covers and a little click in your heels? We should all live that way... with the belief that someone will be born today and that certain someone will totally affect our life in a positive way one day. Talk about making the world a better place.

This day in particular is special to me now but in a way it always has been. Because it gave me the gift of you before I knew what a gift you were.

Where I Wanted To Be

2011-02-15T21:41:00.000-05:00

I've been having some out of body experiences lately. You know those? So weird man. Like...

"Is that my hand making a peanut butter sandwich for him? My hands look old. Is that an age spot? Is that really my kid sitting over there eating his breakfast before he goes to school? Is that my reflection in the door taking her to ballet? Did I waddle like this when I was younger? Am I really 34? So... I'm not 14 then? Really? Weird."

Sometimes it just all hits me and I guess that I can't digest it so I start to question the reality of my life. "So you're telling me that I've really been married for 11 years? To him? Well good for me, he's hot. And those 2 kids are mine? Yes, those two fighting over there- the Big one and the Lil' one? And so I guess next you're gonna tell me that..." Well, you get the gist.

Is this a mid life crisis? I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that if the answers to all of these questions are yes then I am where I wanted to be all along.

A Problem With That

2011-02-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before that Lil' has a style all of her own. I let her rock it for the most part. And rock it she does. There's this look...

Which makes me think of this...

And then there's this...

Which makes me think of this...

and I've got a real problem with that.

Another Day in the Jungle

2011-02-10T10:14:00.000-05:00

Well since it's Daddy's birthday month, I let him pick the winner. He said that he's always loved sugar cookies and Capri Suns so Kim, you are the winner! Congratulations!

For Lil's Valentine treats, I'm going to take this:

and glue this on it

and then all the Mom's at her school will think I'm the "with it" one and I'll be the Valentine card winner. Just another day in the jungle.

Yep, A Giveaway!

2011-02-08T14:52:00.000-05:00

The good people at Publix are having the Great Deals on Great Meals event from February 10 thru February 16th. I decided to take advantage of an offer that General Mills sent to me. They gave me one $25 gift card to Publix and one to give away, as part of the MyBlogSpark program.

So, from 2.10 - 2.16, stop by your local Publix to take advantage of the great savings on some of your favorite brands. During the event, visit GreatDealsonGreatMeals.com to download $9.50 in coupons.

Since I've got to come up with some treats for Big and Lil's Valentine's Day parties as well as snacks for Big's basketball team this weekend, I'm really happy to have this Publix gift card! You can have one too. Just post a comment below and tell me what you like to take when it's your turn to provide snacks for kid's game. Winner will be announced Wednesday!

I know what you're thinking... "A giveway?" Yep, a giveaway!

Mystery Solved

2011-02-03T10:08:00.000-05:00

When my sister-in-law was pregnant and about to have my sweet Miss E, I emailed her a list of things that I thought were important to have on hand. I've gone back and searched for this email more than once over the past 2 years and I want to post it for future reference. Please disregard the raw humor/language. Sometimes you gotta get your point across. You know? Here goes:

The book was Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. Seriously, it saved me. I read it before, and then used it all during the first 6 months for both kids. Sorry I haven't mentioned it before.

Here are some things for your drawer:

qtips
vaseline or aquaphor. Good for flaky skin that will come when she's about 2 weeks old
alcohol swabs (belly button)
wipes
diapers
butt stuff
baby lotion
powder
passies - mams, nuks, silicone and latex
hand sanitizer - You will have to use this so much so get something that smells good like sweet pea from bath & body. Sweet pea is a sweet baby smell
fingernail clippers - I never used these on them until they were older. I just bit them off myself. That is ALOT easier than trimming.
thermometer - Get a good butt one and then switch to an ear when her ears grow a bit
medicine dropper
mylicon
gripe water - Have to go to baby boutique for this - helps w/ gas and I would go back and forth between this and mylicon
nose bulb sucker
mittens if you'll use them for fingernails

For you afterwards: lasinoh for nipps. Also, cooling gel pads for breasts (put them in frig for an extra chill - LIFE SAVER). Nursing pads. Epson salt to soak your hoo-haa. Ask your mom or somebody else if there are any other tricks to chilling a flaming hoo haa. I didn't have a flaming hoo-haa cause I had a c but I've heard the flaming hoo-haa isn't fun.

Also: just in! Heard about these nursing strips you can get that tell you if your milk is too toxic for baby after you've been drinking. I think these are it. Wish I had these back then... Milk Screen:
http://www.upspringbaby.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

For some reason, the absolute best thing in the world to me when I was nursing was Cran-Grape and Frosted Shredded Wheat straight out the box. Mom said it was hers too. Weird I know but trust me. Nursing makes you sooooooooooooo thirsty. Be sure to always have water nearby when you do it cause you will want it. Make sure you have plenty of tupperware and stuff to be able to save food. I didn't and missed the boat on left-overs. You will not want to cook!

Alright I'll shut up. Hope this helps. I'll let you know if I think of anything else. Love you

Flaming hoo-haa mystery solved.

The Memories It Holds

2011-01-31T18:49:00.000-05:00

I have a shelf. My kitchen shelf. It holds some of my favorite things in the world.

In the span of a day, I look at this shelf no less than 25,000 times. Easily.

I love mason jars and I have lots of them because I think they're cool. Real cool man. And I put only my favorite things in my jars. Like an afternoon at the beach in January with my kids...

And like dirt from my Mama's farm in NC with a picture of me and my Grandpa playing in it.

But then there's this guy who doesn't need a jar. He's alright all alone and he's from a day in Jackson Hole that I'll never, ever forget.

Who knew God made rocks shaped like hearts for you to find on your tenth anniversary. Anyways, I love my little shelf and all the memories it holds.

Done

2011-01-31T15:09:00.000-05:00

Weekend project...

Done.

So Worth It

2011-01-28T16:36:00.000-05:00

A day at the beach in January means that it's gonna be cold...

But it's oh so worth it.

Hands In Your Pockets

2011-01-27T11:12:00.000-05:00

Dr. Aimee has been great to us. She's a pediatrician that makes you feel like she's a wise old grandmother. She knows what you're going to say before you say it. She has the right answer for everything and lays out the future for you as clear as a railroad track. She's spot-on about their next stages. She's encouraging and makes you feel like you're doing a great job. Next to my anesthesiologist, she was my favorite person to see when I had my babies.

However. We're not big fans of her office. It's a little creepy. For some reason, it just gives all of us the willies as soon as we walk in there. The actual rooms are fine but the waiting room can sometimes feel like a cesspool. I don't like going to the doctor because I'm scared we're going to leave sick or become more sick. But we had to go in there today because Lil' has got the "boo boos in her froat".

When we go, the kids know that there is no touching allowed anywhere or on anything. Keep your hands in your pockets. That's the rule. Today, Lil' caught my drift because the kid right next to us puked all over the place. As soon as it happened, all the mommies in the waiting room became completely frozen. If there is a krptonite for a mommy it's somebody else's kid's stomach bug. We all just kind of sat there helpless watching him and his poor mother. But just as quick it happened, we all snapped out of the puke trance and started offering tissues and shirts off the backs of our kids and "Shhhh's" and "Its ok's" and "Oh girl, I've been there's".

So the lesson was learned and now Lil' can't wait to tell Big what she saw today. If you go to the doctor, keep your hands in your pockets!

The Time of My Life

2011-01-25T21:23:00.000-05:00

Big and Lil' got in trouble today. It wasn't pretty. They were fighting again and it all ended with Lil' getting tossed across the playroom. She was crying. He was back-tracking and I had had enough. Ole' faithful got pulled out and they both got up on their tip-toes and started telling me why they didn't need a spanking. Well... it was too late.

He got it first. She got it second. They both were sent to their rooms. Big did what he always does and immediately started saying he was sorry. Lil' just got mad. She got mad and she slammed her door. Then she started yelling to me downstairs. "I'm telling Mama. I'm telling Daddy on you when he gets home from work!"

She's gonna be the death of me. She's gonna send me over the edge. She's gonna break me. She takes me from mad to laughing to back to mad in no time at all. But good Lord, I love that child. I love her guts and I love her attitude. She is a roller coaster ride and I'm having the time of my life.

Watering Away

2011-01-19T20:44:00.000-05:00

I'm witnessing something really weird /cool going on with Big.

The other night, our team, lost a game on tv. Which is a problem. Because, you see, Big has become quite the fan. When he watches them play, he becomes older. He grows up for 2 halves and turns into a 35 year old man who drinks beer (of course not literally!) and has quite the potty mouth (no way, not on my watch!). You get my drift. So when they lost, it wasn't pretty. And he cried himself to sleep that night.

Anyways, passion is brewing in that one. It's perculating like a hot pot of coffee. A hot pot of passion. That's what it is. Basketball is becoming big for Big. It's in his blood. His Daddy loves it. His Uncles love it. His Great~Uncles. His Great~Grandpa. His Nettie. And cause I'm the Mama, I've got a front row seat in watching the little seed that got planted turn into a little shoot peaking through the dirt. And Daddy, well... he's just watering away.

Mama Bears

2011-01-14T16:09:00.000-05:00

Man, I love Mama-Bears.

Enjoying the Small Things

Chicken Posole

2011-01-09T17:35:00.000-05:00

Alright, fine! It's true. A lot, not all, but a lot of what I make for supper comes from a recipe that I've run across. When it comes to cooking, I lack the creative know-how to come up with a dish on my own. I have some things that my Mama taught me how to make, some things that I find on websites and in magazines and if I'm really being honest... some that sometimes come from a bag. Yikes!

Anyways, on days like today when it's so blistery, blustery cold in our little spot of the south, all that we want around here is soup. So here's a soup that will for sure, no doubt, make you feel like this lady...

It's called Chicken Posole and alright fine - it's from Real Simple. Now I did use cooked and shredded chicken breasts, chick peas instead of hominy (cause I don't know what that is) and I threw in some black beans cause I dig them. I guess you could substitute tofu for the chicken (waddup Barto!) but the lime is essential so make sure you add a little squeeze to each bowl. I also had to do some ingredient separating when I served up the kids bowls, but it hit the spot so give it a try.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
1 32-ounce container low-sodium chicken broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 dried ancho chili, thinly sliced, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
1 15-ounce can hominy, rinsed
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and
beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, and chili and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the chicken and hominy and simmer until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Serve the posole with the lime wedges.

It Will Forever Change You

2011-01-04T12:14:00.000-05:00

When I was visiting over at Dig this Chick the other day, she posted this picture that absolute drew the breath out of me:

I never knew that snowflakes like this really existed. Sure, I've seen pictures but I never really knew if they were real. Seeing as how Dig this Chick lives in Missoula, MT and so did my little brother for a spell, I decided to ask him about it. Montana holds a very dear and near place in my heart as I'm sure that is where my brother was born for the second time and taught him a way to live life as a harmonious symphony between body and nature. Here is what he had to say about the snowflakes and his first love, Sweet Montana.

"That is the case for all snowflakes, MT or not. No two flakes are the same and are impossible to replicate. Now does the snow in MT hold a special place in my heart, certainly. They fall like goose feathers and can get so big you can feel the weight of them on your face. There were many a night that I'd be stumbling home from Charlie's and stop and try to soak up the winter night in that sketchy alley, or in Alberton and listen as you can damn near here them falling through the sky. It isn't just the hikes and the views and the crazy times I had that I miss most because although those are burned in my memory and I could go back and they could be replicated. It is the sounds, smells and the spiritual grapple of the place as a whole that can bring me to my knees. There is a Celtic Tale of 'Thin Places' that explains this feeling that I have a little better.

A 'Thin Place' is an extraordinary place, most often found in the wild, where it is as though the line between the physical and spiritual worlds is so thin that it seems that they are one. You could never find these places should you seek them however you can find yourself if you are there, and it is an almost erie feeling when you have stumbled, hiked or wandered into them. You know it, something is happening all around you, almost like you are being watched by millions but there is no one there.

I miss Montana, I miss my mind."

I'm posting this especially for my children. Please go find this place and never forget it. Remember it always and it will forever change you.

The Big Picture Is Amazingly Beautiful

2011-01-01T10:02:00.000-05:00

I love New Year's Day. I've said that it is my favorite day of the year but then I was quickly reminded that it isn't. It's my second. I forgot that I'm a big fan of my birthday.

For the first few hours of New Year's Day, I've won the lottery. I like to wait as long as I can hold out to check my ticket because from the moment my eyes see the light of the new day, I'm a big winner. And I'm gonna send this kid and that kid to college and buy land and horses and give this person that much and this person this much and give 25% to climate causes, 25% to poor kids, 25% to Farm Aid and then have supper at my house with Willy Nelson and Bruce Springsteen. They're big Farm Aid supporters you know.

But then I check my ticket and I go back to just being grateful for what it is that I do have and not so worried about tax ramifications.

New Year's Day. It's a fresh baited hook. It's when you're coming around a mountain and you can't wait to see the view. It's an ultrasound really. A small part of a bigger picture. Like a little match that can light a fire of hope. Of possibility. Turn a maybe to a gonna. There's no other day of the year that makes you think "Oh, yes I can" more than New Year's will.

I don't like resolutions. Can't stand the pressure. But I do like the promise that comes with New Year's that we all make to ourselves in some sort of way - This Year Will Be Different. It's our universal wish to make the year better somehow.

My eyes turn to crystal balls on New Year's Day and when I look through them, I see a year ahead that is bright and fantastic. I can't see the details, but on today, the big picture is amazingly beautiful.

'Til Next Year!

2010-12-31T08:34:00.000-05:00

This video is proof of what an amazing daddy Daddy really is. Take a look at his latest creation. Be sure to mute my playlist first at the bottom of this page.

'Til next year!

Spirit of Christmas

2010-12-19T16:37:00.000-05:00

Hope all your days are sweetened with the spirit of Christmas!

How Old They Are

2010-12-15T16:16:00.000-05:00

So often I look at your faces and I think to myself, I'm going to miss you so much when you're grown. When you're standing right in front of me and you're an adult and I'm so proud of you and all that you've accomplished. I'll miss the little you. But I never tell you because I know you won't understand what I mean.

But last night, Lil' looked right at me and said, "Mama, I'm gon miss you when I go up." She was talking about when she has a house of her own and she doesn't live with me anymore. But I think on some level, we get eachother. She loves being little and I love that she is.

These are the days, we'll look back on and miss. The little yous. The little runny noses. The times when children in our house loved Christmas and believed in all that is possible. It must have been a sad day for my Mama when we all grew up. I guess from that day on, you wait for your grandbabies to crawl around your house with their simple perfect belief in magic.

It's here now and we're all wrapped up in it like a big thick blanket. I'm so thankful for my babies and their wild-eyed view of the world. I know that I will miss this one day but I also know that there is a whole other chapter of babies that will fill me up with the wonder and joy of the season. May we all see Christmas the way our children do, no matter how old they are.

Pass The Glass

2010-12-13T21:03:00.000-05:00

"I'm not doing as much this year"
has turned into
"I did a little more than last year."

We added a new thing to the outside lights. Daddy "hopes this enhances your holiday spirit". We've been watching a lot of Christmas Vacation which is the BEST Christmas movie ever but a little tricky during the pool fantasy part when the model gets naked and your 7 year old is watching.

Our tree...

Our den...

Our porch...

Our Santas...

Big and Lil' show everyone this picture because they believe this Santa was the real deal. Not an elfie imitation.

This makes my heart race because I'm not done with it yet. I'm not done with the season, I mean. I'm a child of a Christmas believer. The thick, soupy, magic of the season and the joy that it brings was poured into me when I was child. And I hope that I'm pouring into my own and that they will pass the glass.

That Time of Year

2010-12-06T16:37:00.000-05:00

Man, we've been busy. But that's the way I like it. Singing. Movement. Twinkles. Oooos. Ahhhhs. It all can only mean one thing...

Iiiiiiiittttttttttt'sssssssssss thaaaaaaaaaaaat tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime of year.....

Slushy-Bellies Unite!

2010-11-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

There's some funny business happening at our house.

Big has started having a dance party pretty often in our den after supper. Considering that he is the longest, stringiest, 7 year old that man has ever known, the sight of him throwing himself around the room, makes me almost wet my pants. We never let him think that we're laughing at him though. That would be devastating. It's better that he believes we're laughing out of pure entertainment. His choice in music is particularly interesting. It's instrumental and illogical. Don't worry. We've been video taping him. And the giggle in my belly that can't wait to release this video when he's 15 or at his wedding rehearsal dinner is a very excited but hushed one. Oh lord, it's gonna be good.

One of my earliest memories comes from when I was in pre-school. I'm guessing I was in the 3's or 4's class. I was sitting on the floor next to my teacher and she was wearing a short sleeved shirt. I was sitting on her left side and I obviously really liked this lady although I can't remember her name. I can however remember that because of her, I discovered what old lady arm fat was. And for a span of time on this one day, I made that fat jiggle. I can remember slapping it around and watching the ripples while the other kids were singing "Jesus Loves Me."

This memory came rushing back to me last night when I was in the shower with Lil'. She found my left-over-baby-weight-beer-slushy-belly and she turned it into a person. Who talked. And sang. And made faces. I guess that's the price you gotta pay for having a child with a wild imagination. But on the upside, it's just another reason why I shouldn't go on a diet! Who am I to take away Lil's shower friend? I can't be the one to stomp on her creativity.

Who would have guessed that the greatest lesson I would learn in pre-school would be to embrace the slushy-belly?

Slushy-bellies unite!

The Goo and The Glop

2010-11-14T19:06:00.000-05:00

When I was 19, there were several things that I said I'd never be when I became a mother.

I would never be the Mom at the beach pulling the wagon of ridiculousness behind her.
I would never be the Mom with the stickers stuck to the inside of her back windows in the car.
I would never be the Mom who yelled at her kids in public.
I would never be the Mom with the kid who's pants were too short.
I would never be the Mom with the carpet that had fingernail polish stains on it.

And well, here's the thing, I've become that Mom. Here's what I want to tell that 19 year old me who was reading "People" magazine and drinking a beer, judging that poor 34 year old me on the beach that day.

Look sweetie....

You bring along that wagon behind you because you'll do anything you can to stay at the beach for more than 2 hours when you have kids. You'll bring along snacks, towels, swim diapers and wipes. Toys, lotion, juice boxes and minnow nets. You're gonna need coozies and blankets, umbrellas and chairs. And you can say all you want to about how you want to keep it simple and your kids won't need that much but guess what? You won't and they will.

You let your kid put stickers on your car windows because you know what? It keeps them quiet for 1.1 seconds and it lets you jam out to that Tears for Fears song you haven't heard for years. Goo Gone can get rid of it with the help of a straight blade so just get over it already.

You're gonna yell. There's no doubt about it. The "Can I have it's" will come and they will get you. They will crawl up your back and into your ears and you'll take all you can until you just explode with a big fat "No!!!!" You'll turn around and see the 19 year old you looking at the 34 year old you with the stinkiest face and you'll want to flip her the bird. But you won't because you're a lady now.

You'll find out that these kids of yours grow like weeds after 3 days of rain. You won't be able to keep up and neither will your bank account. And that's how it happens. You'll send the Big one to church looking like the biggest dork you've ever seen but the 34 year old you won't really care that much because at least he brushed his teeth.

You're gonna learn the lesson of "give them an inch, they take a mile" real, real quick. What's that 19 year old me? Why do I let a 4 year old have nail polish in her room? Because, again, it keeps her quiet for 1.1 seconds and that's all the 34 year old me needs in life. Just a moment to catch a breath, take a sip, read a paragraph or fold a towel.

So you can sit there all you want and judge me and think about how you're gonna do it all different but you know what? You won't. You're gonna be all those things you said you'd never be. But then you'll be other things too that you thought you never could be. You're gonna learn what it's like to wear "your heart outside of your body." You're gonna sit and wonder and watch and plan and figure and hope. But it's not for yourself anymore. It's all for them.

Who will you be? Who will you love? Will they ever love you the way that I do? What will you do? Where will you live? How many grandbabies will you give me?

What will you grow? What will you build? What will you miss about being little?

The 34 year old me dreams about the 19 year old you but is drinking in every single second of the now, the present. The stickers, the nail polish, the goo and the glop.

Your Squeeks

2010-11-10T12:15:00.000-05:00

Mmmmwaaaaaaa - I missed you and your squeeks.

A Catch

2010-11-05T15:33:00.000-04:00

Grandma Mabel always had an aquarium when we were growing up. She was and still is the fish-whisperer. She had all kinds of stuff and it was so cool. She just caught her little critters in the creek outside her door and then they would live or jump out or...well, you get the picture.

Since we live at the beach, I wanted to let Big try to keep one of these too. My dream cast-net catch would be 1 sea-horse, 1 squid and 1 angel fish. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we could possibly catch something that I believe is related to a mermaid.

Brace yourselves. This is magical.

That, my friends, is a catch.

Grow

2010-11-03T15:14:00.000-04:00

Whenever I see this near our house, I know that fall is here. It's just a place that I pass on the way home where the marsh grows a glorious little patch of pink and if it's possible, makes my heart grow a little bit bigger for this place.

Happy Halloweiner

2010-10-31T20:32:00.000-04:00

I don't care what anybody says.
"Happy Halloweiner" is funny.

It's been funny since I was 8.
And it's still funny.
Lil' thinks its funny and so does Big.
So there.
Happy Halloweiner everybody.

Here's who Big was trying to be: Phil Robertson from the Duck Commander.

Pretty close.

"List" Worthy

2010-10-26T10:13:00.000-04:00

Man, it feels good to check one off my "list". Have you made your list? You must have a list. A list of things you gotta do before you wrap up here and move on to the next place.

I've got big things that may never be able to happen on my list. And then I have things that are probable but not likely. This was one of those. But it actually happened. It's hard to make "list" things happen. But this one really did and it was awesome.

Seeing my favorite, favorite band with 5 of my favorite, favorite people in a place that is ridiculous. And crazy. And ridiculous. I'll never forget Saturday night of this past weekend. It was fantastic, harmonious, and check off the "list" worthy. 10/23/10.

A Beautiful Concept

2010-10-12T10:35:00.000-04:00

I believe that in life, there are people who help mold you like a big ole' oak tree helps mold a road. Or like a river carves a mountain. These people...they guide you. They help you go left when you want to go right. They are there, even when they aren't. They sweeten the blood that is in your veins and pumps your heart. These are people who you create a whole new label for. A God-Sister - what a beautiful concept.

Lemovine, If You Will

2010-10-05T10:56:00.000-04:00

Pound cakes are great. Aren't they? My Mama can hit you with a pound cake that will make your head spin. Her's is a little almondy flavored. It's good. Real good. It reminds me of funerals though. Not sure why, it just does.

I was recently introduced to this little treasure. It is light. It is lemony. It. Is. Divine. Divinely lemonly. Lemonly divine. Lemovine if you will.

Lemon Cake / Barefoot Contessa

2 (8-inch) loaves
Ingredients 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired. Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook
over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Catching Fish With It

2010-09-27T11:27:00.000-04:00

One of the strangest experiences I've had as a parent is seeing myself through the eyes of my parents. Sometimes, I'll look at my kids but I don't see them. I see me. And when I look at me, I see my parents.

It happens when I hear Big say something familiar or when I see Lil' do something sneaky. It happened this weekend when I saw Big throwing a cast net for the first time off the same dock and into the same water that I threw mine off of for the first time.

I was thinking, "Don't get too close to the edge. Put the weight in your front teeth. Errr, side teeth, since you have no front teeth. Reach way down the neck of the net, use your whole body, watch the edge, watch the edge, watch the edge!"

He was thinking, "Let me catch one. Please, just one, just one, just one. Let me show her I can do it."

The circle wasn't perfect for him but it was perfect for me. And as I watched him, I figured out that life really is very much the same way. You teach them what you know. You teach them what you were taught. It's not always perfect but they can still catch fish with it.

Big and The Donut Maker

2010-09-24T11:01:00.000-04:00

Lil' has decided that she wants to be a donut maker when she grows up. She used to want to be a Mama but I think she's seen my c-section scar one too many times and now she's had a change of heart.

A donut maker. Really?

Big got super mad at her yesterday. We had to go in to his classroom to do a little volunteer work and we were only in there for 2.2 seconds, but it was long enough for her to seriously ruin his day. Apparently when she saw him, she got so excited and she yelled out "Woooooookie!!!!" Everybody started laughing and Big was furious! Are you that old now? Do you really care? Please don't care yet.

That's this week's installment of "Big and The Donut Maker."

The End.

Thank You

2010-09-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

You both told us "Thank You" every single day. We didn't ask you for it. You just did it on your own. Nothing makes a Mama more proud than that.

You took your very first hike. And you won! You beat the mountain that day Lil'!

You fell in love all over again with hiking.

Thank You.

Thank you Daddy.

Thank You Mama.

Thank You.

A Complete Baby

2010-09-10T18:13:00.000-04:00

Well... You're 4.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
wa wa wa
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

My baby's no baby anymore.

This year, you deserved your own space. A little place to call your own. A little house for our little Lil'. (And remind me to tell you how much I love craigslist when you get older!)

Ummmm. Some perspective on the size of the house - not the hiney.

She loves. Not likes. She loves.

I may or may not have gotten a teensy weensy carried away.

Nothing to see here folks. Keep it moving...

It was Candyland...Get it?

Bounce it out kids. Bounce it out.

Loves. Not likes. Loves.

All photo credit and chocolate fountain efforts go to my sistas. Good girls!

My little Lil' turned 4. And now, I'm a complete baby.